Nineteen Thirty to Cardiff
by weepingelm
Summary: When Arthur Pendragon caught a train to visit his sister he never expected it to change his life forever, but because of a train crash it would never be the same again. Major character death


Arthur Pendragon had been working late yet again but he had managed to get to Paddington railway station to catch the seven thirty to Cardiff, although in his case he was only going as far as Bristol. Arthur was going to stay with his sister and her family for the bank holiday weekend. At least it would get him away from his father for a few days. As he entered the first class carriage he was pleased to see only one other person, an elderly woman. He put his case in the luggage rake and sat down with his newspaper and started to read. He had got to the train with ten minutes to spare so had managed to get himself a cup of coffee from one of the better stands on the station.

Just as the train was pulling out, the door crashed open as another passenger came rushing in. He unlike Arthur had left it very late, and had only just managed to get on the train before it left. Arthur glared at the man as he settled into his seat. He was about Arthur's age, perhaps slightly younger and very slim. He took the seat the other side of the isle from the elderly lady, leaving Arthur's end of the carriage empty. Arthur noticed that the other man's eyes soon shut. Arthur wondered if like him the other man and had had a busy day at work.

The train pulled out and the ticket officer came round he looked at their tickets Arthur noted that the other man was going to Cardiff. Once the ticket officer had went off the carriage was quiet once more. Arthur was pleased he had decided to catch the later train, he was sure the earlier one would have been far busier. The standard class carriages were all full, which is why he always chose to travel first class. Arthur had decided against taking his car, as parking was a nightmare near his sister's house. Picking up his newspaper he started to read again. He had a two hour journey in front of him.

No one else got in the carriage at the next few stops, so it remained peaceful. Arthur's journey was over half way through and except for the dolly trolley coming through with refreshments a couple of times, they had been undisturbed. The train had pulled out of Swindon about a quarter of an hour before, when Arthur was woken from his slumber by a tremendous noise and then, almost in slow motion, the train left the rails and rolled down the embankment. Arthur tried to brace himself as best he could, but was flung out of the seat as the carriage rolled onto its side. Everything went black and all Arthur could hear were the screams coming from the other carriages.

Slowly as the carriage settled, Arthur was flung downwards. His seat was now where the roof should be. The carriage was obviously crushed, as he could feel the other side. He had about two foot of space before he could feel twisted metal above him. He had landed on his side and was sure he heard both his arm and leg crack. He lay there in shock for a moment then decided to try to move. This seemed to confirm his suspicions he was now sure he had broken limbs. From his experience on the rugby field he was also fairly certain he had a couple of broken ribs.

Arthur called out to see if his fellow passengers were alright. He could hear the moans coming from the rest of the train, but wanted to know how the two people in his carriage had faired. As he listened he could hear some moans from near where the other two had been seating.

"Hello there, are you ok?" he tried once again.

"Hi" came a strained male voice

"Are you ok?" he asked again.

"Trapped ….my legs." Came back then there was a pause. "The woman is by me…she's dead."

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked not wanting to believe it.

"Yes. I'm a doctor, she's dead. Broken he neck I think. Can't see anything much."

"Damn…how badly are you hurt." Arthur asked, he didn't think he could do anything but needed to know.

"Legs crushed, broken arm…bit of mess I think." Came the reply. "We need to keep talking and keep awake."

"Yeh, good idea, Well I'm Arthur…Arthur Pendragon."

"Merlin Emrys, you one of the insurance guys?"

"Yes my father firm, you've heard of us then."

"Got my insuran..ce with…them. Going to make a clai..m soon." It was obvious to Arthur that the other man was in a great deal of pain.

"I'll make sure it goes through" Arthur joked. "No problems I'm a witness."

"Good …. You got family?"

"Yes a father, who I don't get on with and a sister who I was off to see for the weekend. She's got a husband and five year old boy. Who have you got waiting for you?"

There was quite a gap before Arthur got a reply.

"Mum who I lo…ve and a son he's seven…Mordred…his mum died two years ago….cancer."

"Shit I'm sorry…..look were going to get out of here soon." Arthur wasn't sure they were, but he was trying to be optimistic.

Arthur listened to see if he could hear any signs of the rescue teams. But heard nothing except for moans and creaking as the train settled.

"Hi Merlin, you still with me?"there was a pause, quite a long one. It frightened Arthur he didn't want to lie here in the darkness alone.

"Yeh, you like you..r job?." Merlin's voice was getting quieter.

"I hate it, I wanted to be a lawyer but my father pushed me into the firm. How about you, do you like being a doctor?"

"Love it….you shouldn't do what you hate….leave and retrain…lifes…to short.."

"I suppose, but I never wanted to let my father down, it's what he always wanted, for me to follow him." Arthur was amazed he was telling a stranger so much about himself.

"No..t worth it, do what you want…it's you..r life not his. You're young enou..gh"

Arthur could hear Merlin's voice getting weaker and weaker.

"Arthur cou..ld you do me a fav..our when you get out of here change your job….and please …write to my son….and tell him I love him…..tell….sorry I had to …leave him like his him to be a brave..boy and that I'm with…..his mummy….look af..ter his granny. Tell him my last thoughts were of ….him…."

"Merlin don't talk like that were getting out of here." Arthur shouted.

"No…t….. me….tell Mord…red I wasn't in pain….he hated seeing …his mum in…pain." There was a long pause Arthur could hear the other man struggling "Promise me …..please."

"I promise Merlin…. I promise…look is there anything I can do?"

"No…..bleed…ing to much….thank….you"

Despite continuing to talk Arthur never heard anymore from Merlin. He thought about what the other man had said, and realised he was right he was a fool to continue in a job he hated. He would also go and see Merlin's mother and son and do as the other man had asked.

It seemed like hours before he heard the rescuers, but they told him it had been only three quarters of an hour since the accident. As he was taken from the train on a stretcher he saw the other two passengers of his carriage lying near each other both clearly dead.

He was taken to the nearest hospital and was soon in plaster and resting in a bed. The next day his sister came to collect him, he was allowed home, they needed the bed for those worse off, he had been lucky. Two cracked ribs, a broken leg and a broken wrist. It seemed two trains had collided and some of the other train had landed on top of theirs.

On the Tuesday when everyone was back at work after the bank holiday, he rang his secretary and arranged for her to pull Merlin Emrys's issuance details, and told her to pay out as soon as she could, and at the highest possible amount. He would personally authorise it.

A week later he got his sister to drive him to Cardiff, and to a small cottage to see a young boy and his grandmother. He told them who he was and exactly what Merlin had asked him to. It seemed Merlin had been to London on a conference and had been on his way home. Arthur then told the pair that he intended to keep in touch, and the Mordred could call him whenever he wanted to, that he wanted to be an Uncle figure to him. Arthur also told them he was moving to Cardiff as soon as he was better, to start a course to become a lawyer. He had taken Merlin's advice and was going to live his life for himself and not his father.

He had told his father as soon as he had authorised the insurance payout for Mordred and Hunith Emrys. He had left it until then to make sure there were no problems.

Epilogue

Arthur completed his training and went on to work for individual people who needed his services, and not the corporate world or the rich. He continued to keep in touch with Mordred and Hunith. After his training he met and married Guinevere Thomas, an ordinary girl, he was sure his father wouldn't have approved of. But he didn't care he loved her. Mordred would often come to stay with them and as he got older he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and be a doctor. Not because his father had been one but because he wanted to.

Arthur never forgot the man he had only known for less than an hour but who had changed his life forever.


End file.
